In the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 illustrates a top-view of an occupant in a vehicle seat wearing a seat belt, wherein the seat belt is operatively coupled to a seat belt tension sensor;
FIG. 2 illustrates a front-view of a vehicle seat upon which a child seat is secured by a seat belt, wherein the seat belt is operatively coupled a seat belt tension sensor and the vehicle seat incorporates a seat weight sensor;
FIG. 3 illustrates scenarios associated with various seat belt tensile load ranges;
FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of a seat belt tension sensor in accordance with a first embodiment of a first aspect;
FIG. 5a illustrates a front view of a seat belt tension sensor in accordance with the first embodiment of the first aspect;
FIG. 5b illustrates a rear view of a seat belt tension sensor in accordance with the first embodiment of the first aspect;
FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of a seat belt tension sensor in accordance with a second embodiment of the first aspect;
FIG. 7a illustrates a front view of a seat belt tension sensor in accordance with the second embodiment of the first aspect, under a relatively low seat belt tension loading condition;
FIG. 7b illustrates a front view of a seat belt tension sensor in accordance with the second embodiment of the first aspect, under a relatively high seat belt tension loading condition;
FIG. 8 illustrates a front view of a seat belt tension sensor in accordance with the second embodiment of the first aspect, with an associated spring element removed;
FIG. 9 illustrates a front view of a seat belt tension sensor in accordance with a third embodiment of the first aspect, under a relatively low seat belt tension loading condition;
FIG. 10 illustrates a front view of a second aspect of a seat belt tension sensor assembly;
FIG. 11 illustrates a rear view of the seat belt tension sensor assembly first illustrated in FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 illustrates an isometric view of the seat belt tension sensor assembly first illustrated in FIG. 10;
FIG. 13 illustrates an isometric view of the seat belt tension sensor assembly first illustrated in FIG. 10, with an associated shroud removed;
FIG. 14a illustrates an arrangement of a magnetic field sensor and an associated pair of magnets incorporated in the seat belt tension sensors illustrated in FIGS. 10-13 and 16-18;
FIG. 14b illustrates an axis system associated with FIG. 14a; 
FIG. 15 illustrates a characterization of the magnetic field sensor illustrated in FIG. 14a. 
FIG. 16 illustrates a front view of a carriage assembly in accordance with a third aspect of a seat belt tension sensor;
FIG. 17 illustrates a front isometric view of a seat belt tension sensor assembly in accordance with a variation of the third aspect of a seat belt tension sensor; and
FIG. 18 illustrates a rear isometric view of the seat belt tension sensor assembly illustrated in FIG. 17.